Clamp.



L. L. B LAKE.

CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-17.1916.

1,262,300. Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

0 Q 6 W9 5 0 Z \ZEQLJ-Ei Q gwuvn fov 06.516144? UNIT D "STATES ATENT oFnrcE.

LUDWIG L. BLAKE, or sou'rH BENQINDIANA.

CLAMP.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be" it known that I, LUDWIG'LFBLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in'the' county of- St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain 7 new and useful Improvements in Clamps, of which the following is a specification .7

The invention relates to an improvement in clamps contemplated for a specific purpose, and constructed with a view to permit its being secured in clamping adjustment against the possibility of release, except through the use of an implement constructed for; particular cooperation with the specific clamp. v

The clamp of the present invention is designed particularly for use as the securing member in fixing automobile trunks 9r similar receptacles to the running board of vehicles, the clamp being designed for use in connection with any one of a number of trunk formations, such for' example as shown in my copending applications, Serial Numbers 122,051 and 131,924, filed Sept. 25, 1916, and Nov. 17 1916, respectively.

Insuch use, the clamp should be specifically constructed so as to be released by a particular tool or key, and such key and specific clamp should be I so relatively formed that only the particular key will be capable of co-action with the clamp to operate the same to release the" clamping action thereof on the running board. Under these conditions, the clamps when set areheld against the possibility of unauthorized tampering to free the trunk, and in a general sense, may be said to be locked in applied -.positions and releasable only through the use of the particular key designed for that clamp. v

The invention in the preferred form of details will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing the clamp in applied position; 7

- Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section illustrating the adjustable member of the clamp in place, and-showing the construction of such member with a view to preventing its v Specification of iiettersPatent.

' g Application filed November 17, 1916. Serial No. 131,923.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

manipulation except through the use ofa properkey; I Y Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the same; and Fig. 1 is a detail view of the-wrench or other key for the particular clamp.

The clamp illustrated which may, of course, be constructed of any appropriate material and in any desiredsize or sizes,

involves, forthe purpose of the present invention, a body 1, having upper and lower arms 2 and '3, which are adapted to partly embrace the running board 4 of the vehicle or other fixture; The free end of thearm 2, constituting .the..nose of the clamp, is shown in' the present instance, as presenting a bearing surface or plate 5 disposedon a plane below the plane of, the bottom of the main length of the arm, such plate being of a size and shape to fit inarecess or socket in the bearing bracket designated generally at 6. This bracket forms the subject matter of, a separate application above referred to, and hence is indicated herein merely as a means carried by the trunk with which the nose end ofthe clamp is adapted to cooperate. The trunk carried means for cooperation with the clampmay, of course, so far as the present invention is concerned, be considered or arranged in any desired manner, and if it is further essential, the nose end of the clamp may have any desired .specifictonstruction to cooperate with the trunk-carried means.

The present invention deals more particularly with the adjustable member through the medium of which the-clamping function of the clamp is secured. The free end of the arm 3 is formed with a sleeve-like extension 7 disposed at, right angles to the general plane of the arm, the bore of the sleeve extending longitudinally thereof, and for an appreciable distance about centrally of the lengthof the sleeve, the wall of'the bore is interiorly threaded as at 8. The wall of the bore, below the threaded portion, is of somewhat greater diameter than said threaded portion, and plain as at9. Above the threaded portionthe bore is en.-

termed a seat 10.

Mounted for threaded adjustment in the bore of the sleeve, is a stem 11, which for the greaterlportion of its: length, is threaded as at 12-, for cooperation with thethreaded portion 8 of the sleeve. The upper portion of the stem 11 is 'redueed atfil3 andiro tatably receives a head 14, adapted in the use described, to bear against the lower surface of the running board 4. The head 14 isrotatably mounted-on the stem, and a split spring washer 16isonthe stem, enclrchng the reduced portlon thereof; and; bearingabetween .the lower snrzfiaoe of the head and the shoulder formed-bythe I ireduced;portionaofithe stem.

The-.relatirtely lower portion otthelstem for an appreoiable'length thereof, ISJFfOI'mGd rwith wrhat-r may bentermed a. key-bore 'l'i. willhe. key-bore is preferably of zangulaimeontour in crossiseetion, hexagonalwutline being shown. Depending from. the to.p- Wall olt' the borer-isa positioning .ielement l8, ishowir in 1 the liOImnOf a pin. This; position- :'111g oiI1c18 projectslengthw ise thev bore, iterniinating above the lower iatreeend ibfi the stemp and -is spaced thro-ughout sfrem; the Wall of the .keyrlbore. .T'he: positronmgpm -18 determines-the! specific lookingcharaeteristio of-the particular claanp, asiit1 will be at once apparent that the pin maywbe located-in -a pl'uralityof distinctpositions:With relation to the Wall of the :bore and the center thereof, so that a' key "or wrench fittingthe -b0re of the elamping member withthepm arranged in-one position, wouldnot fitithe bore of the clamping member- :h-avingthe pin arranged in' another position. Furtherinore, it is apparent that the sectional ontlineofthe pinimay itself'be VaIJGCl WIt-hout' ehanging its position, that is,- su'eh pin "instead of'being circular as shown, may be oval, square, or any angular formation, and require: acorresp.ond1ngly shaped soeket 1n the wrench on key to cooperate therewith.

Such change in the pinfro'm thekform illus- =trated-is-, of conrse, c0ntemplated as a part of the present invention.

' The wreneh or keyillnstrated in Fig- 4 isofany appropriate type having a head -'1-9,-of a'size and shapeto' snugly fit-the keybore, the head being solid and-formedwvith arecess-QO, of a-size and sh-apexand' ot-xa particular location to; properly receivethe positioning pin" 18- when the-Wrenchis applied. Of course, awrench other 'than' that "formed with the'specific limitation noted,

could not enter the key-bore"and pperatethe stem to release the clamp member, hence the *clampmay be said to be locked against ree, 'e p 'by arm-p. y-

end of the stem Within the bore of the sleeve. It is, therefore impossible to grasp this end of the'iclaanping members'by any Wrench or device for retaining the samefFurthermoi-e, the external formation of the clamping head corresponds tofthe internal formation of the seat 10, which, coupled With the relation of prevent or render extremely difficult, the introduction of a Wrench or tool .betweeni'the head andseat.tomanipulate the stem of the clamping member from the upper end. This difficulty, primarily incident: .to :the particular -jformation t- 11is point,..isfalso ren- Hneredamare pronou ced-br k f t ha the the head, stern, and spring Washer, tends to arranged for. .threaded adjustment relative to ililfi'XQd, part .ofthe clamp,-sa 1 dmember being vtermed w th a -lgey-bore, of. iangnlar diorinationi .ancLl section, sand :having. a pesitioning pin extending longitudinally fsaid bore.

;. Alolamphaving a fixed sleeve inter orly threaded, a" clamping member arranged tor threaded teooperation. with. the sleeve, one

end. 1 of a said -rnem-ber being formed with a :keyhhore; having, 21.130811310111ng13111 extending dongit-ndinal1y'thereof between the .center and-avail .ofi. said bore.

' 3; A..rclaanp having a fixed sleeve. interiorly threaded, azelamplngl member. arranged: "for threaded .cooperation With the sleeve,:one

"end 50fsaid member beingeformed- Witha key-bore. having. a positioning pin "extending [longitudinally thereof,- between... the. center and Vall 0f SHiClihOIGQXSELlClI .pin terminating inwardly beyond .the' free ":end of... theybrore. I a. A; :elamp hating the terminal of none -arn1 formed wvith amhead, and a .-clamping member adjustable in:said head and having --an1operatir1g end. adaptedto be disposed =-Within the head -=*W:hen the member: is in mping position.

clamp h g the tGDIHlIlAlUOf-4011Q arm -provided with an 1 interiorly threaded sleeve, and a clamping member including a threaded stem :for cooperation 1 with :said

-.sleeve,-said-='stem having akey receiving lf OT- 1n atron atzzene. end terminating shortaofathe Itis to berparti'cularly noted that theistem of the clamping" member is' or such length as compared with the sleeve of "theclamping arm, that the slightest projection-of thehead for clamping purposes will carry the lower sleeve end ivhen said member is in clamping position.

6. A clamp-having a-ninteriorlyrthreaded sleeve, a clampingj nember having a stem threaded therein,- a head aearried "by one end of said memben-i the l opposite end 110i said --1nember being ZEOIIJIQd Wlt'h i a key'boreh of angular formation in plan, for the reception of a particular key, the combined length of the stem and head relative to the length of the sleeve permitting the lower end of the stem to, fall short of the sleeve end when the head is in clamping position.

7. A clamp including a clamping member arranged for threaded adjustment relative to a fixed part of the clamp, said member having a key receiving end adapted to be disposed Within the body of the clamp when in clamping position, whereby said end will is be inaccessible to manipulating tools other than endwise of the member.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LUDWIG L. BLAKE. Witnesses:

AGNES GORDON, GEORGE J. OLTSCH.

patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the "commissioner at ratenta,

Washington, D. 0. 

